Portugal Fashion, Lisbon.

Backstage at a fashion show is far removed from the slick, finely choreographed runway presentations that debut any new collection.

On the opening night of Portugal Fashion Fall/Winter 2016/17 staged at Lisbon’s historic Convento do Beato, I went behind the scenes to record the work of the make up artists and hairdressers whose collective responsibility is to ensure each model looks his or her best according to the style of clothing they’ve been chosen to wear.

Occasionally this environment can resemble a busy ER department, with teams of specialists and assistants armed with a bewildering array of brushes, clips, sprays and dryers all working against the clock to meet the creative demands of designers and stylists. Meanwhile, all the models can do is sit and be patient.